Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the management of information handling systems. More specifically, embodiments of the invention provide a system, method, and computer-readable medium for managing the entitlement of digital assets.
Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Current approaches to acquiring digital assets on-line, whether in physical or digital form, typically involve the purchaser placing an order with on-line retailer and then concluding the purchase with a payment transaction. If the digital assets are in physical form, they are then shipped to the purchaser. If in digital form, the purchaser typically conducts a download session, which may include a unique license key. Known approaches to managing the licensing of downloaded digital assets include establishing a license for a digital asset and a corresponding download link such that it can be sent to a particular information handling system. The license is then associated with the target system and tracked over time for termination, renewal, or possible transfer to another system.
However, the digital assets may be acquired from multiple on-line sources, including a closed enterprise networking environment, catalog vendors stocking a wide variety of digital assets, or individual software producers. As a result, the purchaser must keep track of the source for each individual digital asset and its associated license.
Furthermore, it is not uncommon for users to misplace or forget their user IDs and passwords. While methods exist to recover a log-in name and password, the process is inherently cumbersome and may create delays in installing the digital assets on the user's system. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for allowing a broad range of digital assets to be delivered digitally, through multiple channels, to multiple information handling systems, through individual or multiple accounts, and to accommodate various licensing restrictions.